Life Is Strange
"Max, you are not crazy. You are not dreaming. It's time to be an everyday hero."—Max Caulfield
Life Is Strange is an episodic graphic adventure video game developed by Dontnod Entertainment and published by Square Enix, released from January to October 2015.
Max Caulfield, a photography student, discovers that she has the ability to rewind time at any moment and foresees an approaching storm about to destroy her hometown of Arcadia Bay. Reunited with her childhood friend Chloe Price, Max takes on the responsibility of preventing the storm and solving the disappearance of Rachel Amber, Chloe's friend.
Life Is Strange: Before the Storm, a prequel developed by Deck Nine and focusing on Chloe, launched in August 2017. A sequel, Life Is Strange 2, with an unrelated story, was released in September 2018. A free spin-off, The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit, related to the sequel, was made available in June 2018.
A comic book series of the same name, set after the "Sacrifice Arcadia Bay" ending of the game, was released by Titan Comics beginning November 2018.
- Angry Guard Dog: Pompidou guards his owner Frank.
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: In her diary, Max details why she doesn't want to reveal her powers to Warren:
"He would want to marry me immediately, just so he could have his own human time machine. Or capture me for scientific experiments. Or make me go to the drive-in with him."
- Artistic License Physics: Polaroids are not as fragile as paper, as they are coated with tough plastic, so it wouldn't be possible for Max to tear her photos so easily.
- Axes At School: Nathan brings a gun to school and aims it at Chloe in Episode 1.
- Bathroom Stall of Overheard Insults: In Episode 2, Victoria and Taylor gossip about Max and Kate, while Max is hidden in the shower.
- Brought Down to Normal:
- At the end of Episode 2, Max sees Kate about to jump and freezes time, but right as she gets to the rooftop, her powers fail, leaving her with one chance to save Kate.
- At the end of Episode 4, Max is drugged and cannot rewind effectively, right as Chloe is shot dead.
- Bus Crash: Nathan disappears in Episode 4. The next episode, Mr Jefferson, when asked about it by Max, says he is "dead and buried."
- Catapult Nightmare: Max wakes up screaming "Kate" in Episode 3.
- Cel Shading
- Do Not Call Me "Paul": "Max, never Maxine."
- Fetch Quest: In Episode 2, Max has to get glass bottles scattered around the junkyard.
- Foreshadowing
- Kate's depression is noted and brought up numerous times, in conversations, in cutscenes and in Max's diary.
- Kate's notes in Episode 1 has a drawing of a a tree with a noose and a pool of blood, a sign of suicidal ideation.
- In Episode 2, Max says that Kate stopped playing the violin a week ago. Giving up a hobby or passion is another sign of suicidal ideation.
- From Episode 1, in one of Mr. Jefferson's classes:
- Kate's depression is noted and brought up numerous times, in conversations, in cutscenes and in Max's diary.
Mr. Jefferson: I could frame any of you in a dark corner and capture you in a moment of desperation.
- Jefferson victim blames Kate in Episode 2.
- In Episode 2, Max spots the spirit doe in the junkyard. In Episode 4, Max and Chloe find Rachel's grave in the junkyard, in the spot where the doe was standing earlier.